


Hold on to Me

by Milyzia



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Fix-It, Happy Ending, Hiding, M/M, Not What It Looks Like, Post-Civil War (Marvel), Secret Relationship, Steve and Tony being ridiculously cute, just cute, planning, situation manipulation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 02:29:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14251137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milyzia/pseuds/Milyzia
Summary: I have to protect the one thing that I can't live without. That's you.The universe always tried to tear them apart. If Tony believed in life after death he would say it was his dad. They fought, they argued and they disagreed on so many levels, but the love had never gone away. At the end of the day, they made it though, they were still them when everything came down to it. And they loved each other. So the Accords wasn't anything different except that they couldn't just go against 11 countries wish but they couldn't go down without a fight either, cause that would go against everything they stood for. So they made a plan, just the two of them. Depending on respect, trust and love, something they knew they had. They fought, the world was their stage, they were the actors in a play only they knew about, and everyone else was their audience.And at the end of the day, they regrouped, they loved. They protected the one thing they couldn't live without.Each other.or. what if Civil War was a plot from Steve and Tony to protect the Avengers and each other.





	Hold on to Me

There was a small village like so many others around _Lago di Garda_ in northern Italy, they were used to tourist passing by during the day, and even some staying the night. It wasn’t a lot, but it wasn’t so unusual that a strange face stood out in the pub, that’s why he chooses it. Also, because his mother’s childhood home was just a village over and he knew the area pretty well.

Ordering a gin and tonic, he slipped into a booth in the corner, slightly out of sight and as private as it could be. He was wearing regular glasses and a cap, something he hadn’t worn in ages and he felt silly, but now was not the time to get noticed for who he is.

The door opened and he recognizes the man stepping through immediately, even if he had let the beard grow and the hair wasn’t as well groomed as it usually was. The man, in black clothes that looked normal but he could tell was used for easy movement in case there would be a fight, looked around and spotted him. With a slight nod, he approached the bar and ordered a beer before slipping in on the other side of the table.

They looked at each other for a while, noticing differences since the last time they saw each other, watching for injuries and holding the other’s gaze like two lovers about to separate, waiting for the moment to catch up with them. Their hands connected over the table and small smiles broke out on their faces.

“Tony.” Voice just about a whisper carrying love, affection and such promise you could tell he loved him, so much it hurt.

“Hey, Steve” Tony let go of his hand and brought it up to cup the beardy cheek. “This is awfully attractive.”

Steve chuckled and looked down, a blush rising on the parts of his skin that were still visible. Composing himself he drank some beer and looked around.

“This is nice.”

Tony smiled and let him go, leaning back to be able to take it all in. They hadn’t seen each other since Siberia, they had talked, on the phone. Long nights of yelling and screaming, of crying and sobbing, of moaning and whisper the others name with such need only the strongest of love could conjure.

Steve leaned over, a teasing smile on his face, and Tony knew what he wanted, he also knew that teasing Steve was something that turned him on. Steve, seeing the look, laughed low in his throat before reaching over and pulled him closer by the shirt. But he didn’t kiss him. He let his nose travel over Tony’s, lips dragging over his strong jaw, and tongue teasing the edge of his lips. Tony felt his breath deepen and the smirk on Steve’s lips as he continued to just barely touch them to Tony’s.

“I’m sorry” His words travelled through Tony’s lips, into his mouth, down his throat and into his heart. “I love you and I’m so sorry.”

Tony closed his eyes, let the words wash over him, warm him from within. Eyes pickling with unshed tears, hands coming up to travel over Steve’s arms. Steve, without pulling away, grabbed his hands in his, linking their fingers together.

Slowly Tony opened his eyes, blue waves of truth against brown hesitant walls that was slowly lowering with every brush of word Steve said. Tony freed a hand, let his fingertips play over Steve’s face, patterns that told him stories of love.

“I know.”

And Steve took it for the acceptance that it was and closed the last millimetre. Tony let his tongue taste the words in Steve’s mouth and let Steve nip the forgiveness from his lips. It was messy of tears and want and need. Breaking apart they both heaved for air, eyes never looking away, and Tony could see the most satisfying smile on Steve’s lips and he couldn’t do anything other than offer his pleased smile in return, a small twitch of his lips that told Steve everything he needed to know.

Settling back into their seats they both returned to their drinks and picket a safe topic, in case they had gotten an audience after that little reunion, their hands still intertwined on the table.

After the third rounds of drinks, Steve moved over to sit beside him and dropped a warm arm around Tony’s shoulder. He melted his body against the super soldier and Steve bowed down so they could talk, face inches apart drinks cradled close to their chest.

“How is he?” Steve nuzzled his nose into Tony’s hair and sighed.

“He went back into cyro.” A kiss, on top of the head. “I miss him so much.”

The night was spent whispering secrets to each other. Tony’s work on the Accords, his plan to take Ross down, his team-up with the king and Steve’s landlord. Steve told him about how the rouge Avengers fared in Wakanda, who was antsy to go home and who was actually enjoying themselves. They whispered about Tasha who was their middle woman, out somewhere in the world but the only one who was in on the plan and helped them set up this meeting. They muttered about how unfair it all was and how close they’ve come to shatter. Breathing love, and affection and promises to each other trying to get across that they were still in this together, they were still in love, they were still _them._

The clock showed twelve and the magic hours stroke. Unwillingly they both stood up, hand in hand they slipped out and hid behind a dark building just by the forest.

“Be careful, I can’t live without you, you know.” Steve’s large hand palmed his cheek thumb stroking eyebrow and cheekbone. He looked down at the man secure in his arms, legs tangled, popped up against a wall, heart to heart.

“I’m always careful, cap.” Tony’s smile was full of mirth, and his eyes had a light in them that Steve lived for. Steve snorted a little, dipped down to capture his lips in a languid kiss. Tony melted against him, it was just them now, what they both wanted. “When we’re done with this shit, let’s move to my island. We don’t need to care about anything else than your metabolism. What you say?”

“Sounds like a plan, Tones.” He bumped his nose into his, “but you’ll get bored after two and a half hours.”

They heard a twig break behind them and knew their time was up for this time. With a last kiss, a last inhale of breath for scent preservation and in a last stolen second to just be near each other they separated. Then Steven was gone and Tony slumped against the wall to regain his posture. With one last breath, he straightens up and walked towards where he parked his car. Jumping in he fished out his phone from his pocket.

_Flash drive in the pocket of his jacket. Any questions you got my number._

_Thank you, Tony._

_Anything for you, princess._

_-:-_

Tony was fixing up the last of the War Machine when the little black phone let out a ringtone from 2001. Disgusted he swooped it up and the sound of the answering button made him shudder.

“Did you know how insulting it is, talking into a flip phone?” Was his greeting and he was slightly proud that he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt hearing Steve’s voice. He got a laugh that made the month of no contact worth it, and affection settles as a warm pool in his stomach.

“ _It’s good to hear your voice._ ”

“Can you hear it though? Cause this is a shit piece of technology, I know your 40ies brain don’t get that but-“

“ _I know what you did._ ”

Silence. 

“…I didn’t want you to get your hopes up.” He didn’t bother denying it, not when Steve sounded like he was on a verge of breaking down. He hadn’t heard anything about it, didn’t know if it had been successful or not and Steve panting in his phone made his heart freeze in fear.

He couldn’t do anything than listen to Steve’s heaves miles away over the phone and he wished, more than ever, that he could be there, hugging him close, gather him into his arms and fly him away from all the trouble.

He knew how much Barnes meant to Steve. Just like what Rhodey meant to him. And he didn’t know what he would do with himself if Rhodey died or went psycho murder machine with just a few words. He could understand Steve’s pain, but yet he couldn’t, because he didn’t dare think how he would feel if it had been Rhodey frozen for the benefit of the world. He really had hoped that _Barf_ would have helped Bucky, just to see Steve’s eyes light up again, now he fared all hope was lost. Steve was broken, his sobs were broken, his breath was broken.

“ _God Tony, I think I love you and then you go and do something that makes me love you so much more it scares me.”_

What? “What?”

“ _We took him out three days ago, Suri made Barf work while he was feezed. Natasha came and used the words on him when he woke up and he just told her to shut-up. God Tony,”_ another sob, a happy laughing sob, _“ he sounded so much like he did before we went into the war I just started to cry. And he saw me and he started to cry and you have given me the most amazing gift. I can’t- I don’t know how to thank you enough. I love you so, so much.”_

Tony didn’t notice the tears until they created a small pattern of waterdrops on the working table he was leaning against, and he closed his eyes to prevent more from spilling and leaned back, trying not to snivel.

“Son of a bitch, I thought it didn’t work when I heard you cry. You scared the crap out of me.”

Steve laughed and laughed, and Tony couldn’t stop the bursts of giggles that escaped from somewhere deep inside him. They stayed like that for a while, just hearing the others white noise through the phone. Every breath, every sigh of love.

“So, he is your old Bucky again?”

“ _Nah, no more than I am the old Steve. 70 years change people. But I do recognise him. He still has this awful habit of treating me like I’m five feet nothing.”_

The devotion in Steve’s voice was unmistakable.

-:-

The Quinjet landed on the pad and the rough Avengers tumbled out after the long flight. Natasha gripped his elbow in a supporting gesture and he gave her a smirk behind his sunglasses. She scoffed and stepped away, making Rhodey give a laugh that sounded like a bark and Vision to give all three of them a curious look, still not entirely taught in the language of bodies.

Behind them was Laura Barton, Nathaniel on her hip and Lila hiding behind her Aunt Tasha. Cooper was holding Tony’s hand and he had to struggle to not tense up when the small person leaned against him. He tolerated kids at most. Maggie and Cassie Lang were looking at the many people coming out from the plane, all of this still a little new and scary.

First out was the King himself, his entourage of warriors sipping out, scouting the terrain behind him. Tony, meet him in the middle, Cooper half a step behind, hand still secure in Tony’s larger one. They exchanged a handshake before T’Challa looked down at Cooper and smiled.

“And who is this young man?” Cooper puffed up his chest when called a man, and Tony knew he knew that T’Challa was a king, which made the comment even more impressive in the boys' mind.

“Cooper Barton.”

“Sir.” Tony bumped him a little in remembrance.

“uh, Sir. Sorry.” He looked up at Tony who gave him a small smile and a nod, _you did good_.

The proud smile turned euphoric when he saw his dad and he darted past T’Challa and into his fathers waiting arms, Lila was close behind. They all watched how the others emerged and reunited with the others. Then there was Steve, half a step behind him was Bucky.

He looked good, both of them did, and Tony’s heart clenched at the sight of his man. Steve gave him a small smile and stopped in height with the king, Bucky peering nervously over his shoulder and a tension had settled over all of them. The viewers silently watching the reunion of the two leaders.

“Tony.” Steve’s voice didn’t give away anything, and Tony felt the spark of mischief pass between them, in sync like they’ve been since they met, even when they fought.

“ _Captain.”_

There was a second where no one knew what would happen, and everyone tensed up when Steve lifted his hand towards Tony. In a quick motion he grabbed his neck and swooped him in, in a kiss so filthy the small girls started to giggle and Cooper gave out a starlet _eew._

The spell broke and a buzz went through the compound, whispers of _the fuck?_ and _did you know?_ passed around, everyone surprised. Bucky, Rhodey and Natasha had identical smirks on their faces.

“How about that island?” Tony had his arms on Steve’s pecks, totally relying on the soldier to hold him up.

“I’ll only get bored, you said,” Steve answered with kissing him again, smile brighter than the star on his shield.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this:
> 
>  
> 
> **Steve + Tony | Pieces**
> 
>  
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx8CjeGXDqk
> 
> Playing with the thought that Tony knew about Bucky and the two of them came up with a plan to stop Ross, please the 11 countries and save Barns. I wanted to write something happy, and cute. Cause I ship them so hard, and Civil War broke me cause how is Tony ever going to be able to believe Steve again? :(
> 
> Thank you for reading,  
> Bless


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